1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for enabling functions of at least one tachograph that comprises a control unit and an interface connected thereto in which the control unit is enabled by programming to perform a first group of functions.
2. Related Art
The prior art discloses tachographs, particularly digital tachographs. A tachograph has a control unit and also a multiplicity of different interfaces. A display that can be read by a user of the tachograph is also built into the tachograph.
The control unit of the tachograph is designed such that a multiplicity of functions can be performed by the control unit. This relates particularly to functions such as the recording of the distance covered, the travelling time, the average, maximum or similar speed of travel during a route section and also the distance covered on a highway or a rural road. The aforementioned exemplary functions are performed by a microprocessor in the control unit, the data associated with the functions often being received from an onboard computer or an engine controller via a CAN interface.
The tachograph is often built in by the manufacturer of the vehicle and delivered to a customer. The tachograph itself is in turn produced by another manufacturer. The manufacturer of the vehicle often adapts the tachograph for the specifications of the vehicle type used. This means that not all the functions that can be performed by the control unit need to be enabled. Although the microprocessor in the control unit is designed by programming such that it can perform all functions that are stored in a memory element in the control unit, it cannot access all the aforementioned functions. The total number of the performable functions is broken down into a first group of already enabled and performable functions and a second group of the functions which are not enabled but which are present.
For an operator of the vehicle, this results in the problem that the tachograph has been configured by the manufacturer of the vehicle and is not attuned to the individual requirements of the customer. If the customer now wishes to adapt the tachographs to suit his own requirements, he is forced to take the vehicle to an authorized garage in which the additionally required functions are enabled by specialist personnel.